


Darker paths

by Evilyoyo



Series: Paths [1]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: A little bit of bow and Glimmer but not really, Alternate Universe - Dark, Evil Adora, F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-27
Updated: 2019-03-27
Packaged: 2019-12-18 17:24:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18254423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evilyoyo/pseuds/Evilyoyo
Summary: Adora isn't always She-Ra and sometimes she doesn't leave the Horde.ORMy take on how Evil!Adora would come about without mind magic





	Darker paths

**Author's Note:**

> AYYYYY GUESS WHO'S NOT DEAD  
> It's me. I should be posting more often again, my 2nd job ended last week, so don't worry all the people that commented on CoG I will be working on that soon. I just wanted to do something kind of short to get the rust off

There are many paths in life and each decision, big, little and everything in between, can change your course.

Adora’s paths varied just the same as everyone else. She lives happily with her parents, she knows no rebellion and loves her brother. She begs Catra, still her best friend, on the battleground to come with her and Catra listens. Adora leaves the Horde but the rebellion won’t take her in because there is a sword left unfound in the woods and the Rebellion fears spies.  
But it’s her actions after the exam that most of her paths split off of one other.

* * *

  
Three things are constant in all her lives.

Adora is born with a strong sense right and wrong, no matter if her parents encourage it or Shadow Weaver tries to bury it to make a perfect soldier. Even when she doesn’t hold the title of She-Ra, she wants to protect others from harm. She can’t stand by and do nothing while people are hurting.

Adora is a leader and a fighter. The feeling of bruised and tired muscles is soothing to her, makes her feel alive. Being able to take down an enemy with strength or wits is one of Adora’s favorite things in the world. It’s sometimes harder on her to lead in some lives but she never truly tries to step down, the urge to be a leader is in her blood.

Adora is always easily broken.

* * *

 

Paths where she decides to comfort Catra by sneaking out they will always begin to fight over who should drive and if they should go back to the Fright Zone. Unknown to Adora there are three paths waiting for her to choose as they begin to fly over the woods.

They keep fighting over the controls. The ship crashes and Adora finds the Sword of Protection. She becomes She-Ra to fight the Horde, and sometimes Catra joins her and sometimes not.

She breaks when Catra leaves the rebellion in frustration over being overlooked for She-Ra or with a betrayed Catra’s claws in her back. Glimmer, Bow and the princesses rebuild her, and she becomes stronger for it.

Adora lets Catra win the controls. Catra continues on into the Whispering Woods, and they find the sword together, but when Adora becomes She-Ra, they become scared of Shadow Weaver’s reaction and flee the Horde. Without Glimmer and Bow to endear the rebellion to them they run from city to city, but there is nowhere to hide. The Horde crushes the Rebellion years after Adora and Catra are recaptured.

She breaks when Shadow Weaver finds them, but Adora doesn’t remember it.

In this path, Adora wins. She turns them around and they go back to the Fright Zone. The sword is never found. Shadow Weaver is none the wiser and Adora’s mission against Thaymor takes place undisturbed. She rises in the ranks quickly, dragging Catra along with her. The Horde defeats the rebellion.

She first breaks with the blood of Thaymor’s citizens on her hands. There is no Glimmer or Bow to help rebuild her with care and softness. Only a just as broken Catra.

* * *

 

Catra finds her up on the roof.

Adora isn’t surprised that she had been found, she had expected it as soon as she had snuck out of the crowded barracks. Her friend had been trying to catch her alone since she’d returned early this afternoon, but she’d had been avoiding her. Really she’d wanted to avoid everyone but while she could stand talking to the squad, Catra was a whole different story.

“Hey, Adora.” Catra jumped up on the handrail beside her. She was pouting, Adora noted. It was probably eating her up that Adora hadn’t spoken to her yet.

She ignored her, staring off into the horizon. The ruins of Thaymor couldn’t be seen from here, of course, the Whispering Woods was too thick for that.

“I’m talking to you oh big bad Force Captain.” Catra’s voice sounded annoyed, but her tail flicked over Adora’s hand, a clear sign that she was worried about her.

“I want to be alone right now Catra….” Her voice sounded wrong to her ears, too ruff. Probably from the battle? There had been screaming right?

“Don’t be stupid-”

* * *

 

Dust and rubble were everywhere. She had ordered the bombardment half an hour ago and to make it count. The tanks had done ordered and more. Any walls that had stood before were gone completely, and no building hadn’t taken some damage. The intel that Shadow Weaver had given her said that Thaymor was a major rebellion site and well defended but it had seemed like luck was on her side as they hadn’t incurred any real defenses besides a few scouts.

She stepped out of the tank she’d rode along as she yelled back at the diver, “Double back and form a defensive line with Red Team! I want us out of here before then but Brightmoon may try and send reinforcements!”

Adora took a quick look around, her pride swelling at the site of the broken buildings. Her first real mission and it was going better than she could have ever thought. She started making her way through the ruins to meet up with the ground team at the north side of the village.

Their job had been to neutralize any militia or rebellion soldiers and to grab anything that looked like it could help the Horde. But as she walked through the ruins, the thought that something was wrong started to creep into her mind. Her grip on her zap rifle tightens before she reminded herself to loosen it.

The Intel showed Thaymor as a major rebellion out-posting but she wasn’t seeing anything to confirm that at all. She’d ordered a large bombardment but she should still be able to see the ruined defensive measures. There were no spotting towers and there had been no men on, the rather small, wall. Thaymor was smaller than Intel had said, much much smaller. It wasn’t even a town at all bearly even a village. The amount of manpower she’d been given was overkill, even if every people living here had been a trained soldier. And speaking of soldiers…..

There were none.

Only dead civilians.

* * *

 

“Hello? Adora?” Catra’s worried voice pulled her from her thoughts. How badly did she look that Catra was openly worried? When even alone it was hard to get her to be open without digging.

Her friend had inched closer to her, and still, Adora would not look her in the eyes. Catra wasn’t precisely the most kind-hearted, but even she wouldn’t want Adora around now, right? The blood on her hands would stain her too.

“Come on Adora,” Catra tried again her voice strained with fake happiness. “ You got to leave the Fright Zone on an important mission! You can’t just not tell me!”

“There was no mission. Shadow Weaver gave me bad Intel,” Adora said in a dull tone. “Thaymor wasn’t a rebellion out-post at all.”

“Wait really?” Catra blinked in surprise. “Why would Shadow Weaver give you bad Intel?”

Adora slumped forward, her hands beginning to shake. “Why does Shadow Weaver do anything Catra?”

“Because the lady is a huge bitch?” Catra snorted. “ I meant why she’d give _you_ bad Intel.”

“She wanted me to teach me a lesson…..” Adora shook her head and scuffed. “ I thought Thaymor was about proving myself as a leader, but it wasn’t. Anyone could have taken Thaymor because it was a fucking village, Catra!”

“Adora-”

A dark laugh bubbled from her mouth, and she pushed on, “ But I didn’t know that! She told me it was a major outpost and I was eager, so fucking eager to impress her that I ordered a bombardment strong enough to level a town three times its size.”

She looked at Catra for the first time since her friend had found her on the roof, letting her see the dullness of her eyes. “ The mission wasn’t ever about Thaymor. It was about showing Shadow Weaver that I could handle the killing citizens if needed.”

“You didn’t know,” Catra put a hand on her shoulder.“You shouldn’t be blaming yourself. Shadow Weaver was the one that didn’t give the right Intel-”

Adora shrugged her hand away and stepped away from the railing. “I killed most of the people in that village!” She slapped her hand on her chest, “Me!” Her voice got louder as she went on. “I ordered the bombardment and I was the one that ordered that any militia be shot on sight. I attacked a village that had nothing to do with the rebellion and when the few that lived through me bombing their home to ash fought back? I had them killed!”

Catra jumped down on her place on the railing. Her face twisted into a frown as she hissed, “What else were you supposed to do Adora? What would Shadow Weaver have done to you hadn’t done as you were told?”

“My life isn’t more important than those all those villagers!”

“Maybe not to you,” Catra hissed. Her hands were flexing, her claws no doubt cutting into her palms. She looked away and said in a low voice, “You are my only good thing, Adora.”

Adora shook her head as tears started building up, “I should have known better to trust Shadow Weaver. I should-”

“Stop that,” Catra lightly slapped her on the side. “You can’t do that to yourself. You did what you needed to do and now you move on. You only have to worry about yourself, not about some village that was too small for the rebellion to care about.”

“I… I can’t.” Adora sat down, drawing her knees up so she could bury her face in them. “I can’t do that again Catra.”

Catra shook her head, “What are your options then? Leave the Horde?”

“I don’t know!” A sob broke free from her throat. Adora hadn’t cried in years, and it was freeing to let it go. “I just….you didn’t see it Catra!”

Her friend sat down beside her, “ I’m going to keep saying this until you get it into your thick head- This is Shadow Weaver’s fault, not yours.”

“Then why do I feel so bad?”

Catra pulled her into a sideways hug, “That’s kind of Shadow Weaver’s thing remember?”

Adora lends into the hug entirely. Hugs weren’t ever common for her, but they had started getting into trouble about it when they were young teens. It had been years since they had last hugged. It made her weak but she snugged all the closer, pressing her face into the Catra’s neck. She felt so tired, she hadn’t slept since Thaymor. “I hate her so much,” she muttered.

Catra’s loud snort shook Adora’s head, “Everyone does because she’s a bitch.”

“You should have been made Force Captain,” Adora pulled away enough to look her in the eye but she stayed close. “Shadow Weaver is stupid to not make you one. I’m sorry I let her get to me like that.” Adora felt Catra stiffen so held onto her tightly knowing that Catra would bolt if she could. “You said I only have to worry about myself but I worry about you too.”

“I can take care of myself,” Catra muttered.

“So can I but you still worry about me right? We need to have each other's backs. I can’t do this without you Catra, I just… I need you with me.” Adora reached over to take Catra’s hand, “ I need you to tell me when I’m being weak and when someone is deceiving me because your better at it than I am.”

“You are a little dense…”

Adora smiled, “ I know.”

“And you are a little dramatic,” Catra laughed. She didn’t let go of Adora’s hand, and her tail curled its self around Adora side. “ I mean I was pretty much doing that anyway.”

“This is different Catra,” she ran her thumb over Catra's knuckles. “Shadow Weaver doesn’t have as much control over Force Captains so unless she wants to take it up with Lord Hordak I’m going to be dragging you out of here with me.”

“Between the two of us, we could be the new Shadow Weaver.” Catra’s grin was wicked. “You climb the ranks, and I’ll be at your back.”

Adora nodded with a determined look. “We’ll make her pay for all the pain she’s caused us. I swear Catra.”

* * *

 

The path goes on.

Choices are made by her and others around her. In some Catra becomes tired of being one step behind and they have a falling out. Or Glimmer says just the right words and the Princess Rebellion lives again. Adora’s long lost brother comes with his magic sword and talks her away from the path she’s just started.

But Catra stays. Adora’s willingness to show her weakness to Catra is enough to tide her own ego, and Adora keeps her word about making sure they are together. They are two sides of a coin, and they watch each other's backs. Adora leads her troops, and Catra leads Adora.

But Glimmer can’t find the words and the princesses refuse to see reason. Her mother grows more worried about her and her kingdom by the day as the Horde comes ever closer to her door. A new Force Captain is leading the charge, and unlike the other one, she knows what she’s doing.

But Adora doesn’t have a brother or family.

And so the path goes on.

* * *

 

The mission to Plumeria was quite. They were only there to make sure the poison was working and that the kingdom wasn’t fighting back. They were there for a few weeks and during the day time she kept strong, Catra always a step behind her. In the night she cried into Catra’s arms. When the poison finally finished the massive tree the slight of it spoke to something deep inside her.

When Adora told her about it that night Catra told her it was because the plan was wasteful. Why even bother killing the tree when the people of Plumeria weren’t fighting back? They could have saved so much time and energy just taking it with a single platoon. Adora had to agree with her and hardened herself a more.

It felt good to see some action in Salineas. This mission had been given to her from Lord Hordak himself, and it’s a real chance for them to prove themselves, so she refused to let her feelings get in the way.

They were in Salineas for months. It was hard work, Salineas had better ships than anyone else in the world. The Horde had been wearing them down, but one good ship handled by master sailors could take three times as many of their own. Adora lost her first man during this mission, another break, and he wasn’t the last.

Adora got used to the sound of rifle fire and helping Catra get the blood off her hands. She was having fewer nightmares and an easier time not thinking of the enemy’s family or friends. It was here that she started to hate the princesses. The princess of Salineas hid behind the safety her Sea Gate, not stepping out to help her own men and with pointless deaths on both sides mounting every day the anger began to build.

When they finally get a chance to fire on the Sea Gate, she doesn’t feel sad about the detection of such a massive piece of work and instead feels a sense of pride. Thaymor was a mistake and Plumeria was child’s play, but the contouring of Salineas was a hard-won victory.

But Shadow Weaver is upset about their victory in Salineas. Catra’s thought it was because while she wanted Adora to be Force Captain she hadn’t want her to be so good at it. If she did well it gave favored to Shadow Weaver but taking down Salineas in months when Shadow Weaver had said it would take years? That was showing her up and Shadow Weaver couldn’t have that now could she? Adora was annoyed more than anything but there was nothing they could do. Hordak may see them now but they weren’t close enough to displace her.

Their punishment was going to the Kingdom of Dryl and capture the Princess Entrapta. Entrapta made tech that was higher grad than even the Hordes, and if she fell into the wrong hands, the rebellion would have a better defense against them.

Adora again was annoyed about the mission. Dryl was a small kingdom with no real army or even any cites. From what she gathered the princess either kicked out most of her people or they had went of their own free will. It left the mission looking to be too easy for Adora and Catra to deal with, but they did as they were told.

Of course, Princess Entrapta had to unleash an army of uncontrollable robots.

* * *

 

Here is where the Shadow Weaver starts her fall from grace.

The Horde hadn’t seen a real victory since the King of Brightmoon was killed and the princess scattered to their own kingdoms. Yet in all the years since that battle, there were no kingdoms that fell only small villages.

Catra whispered to her why late at night, as they laid together after one of Adora's nightmares, trying to explain to Adora just where their mentor went wrong so they could learn how to be better than she ever was.

Shadow Weaver’s plans were over the top. She had been the one to start the poisoning of Plumeria instead of marching because she wanted to break their spirits but there had been no real need to do so. The kingdom hadn’t fought against them and don’t reach out to the rebellion. Why break their spirits when they never fought in the first place.

She refused to enter the field on her own. Shadow Weaver relayed on her Force Captains for actually doing anything. Force Captain Scorpia looked fearsome but couldn’t or wouldn't act on her own and was forced onto Shadow Weaver because of her family. While she’d wanted Adora she had failed to see that the connection between Adora and Catra was much stronger than the fear that Shadow Weaver had instilled into her over the years. With no Force Captains, she was almost powerless.

Her biggest failure was never realizing that while she had taught Adora leadership skills, how to fight and not show fear….Catra had been learning as well. Adora was bright and a strong leader that there was no doubt but Shadow Weaver had unknowingly passed on her skill of manipulation to someone to truly had a skill for it.

And thus begins the end of her path.

* * *

 

Lord Hordak praises Adora when they return from Dryl with Entrapta but Adora makes sure to share the spotlight with Catra. Adora fought the robots yes but Catra was the one who convinced Entrapta to join them. In only a few minutes she had picked Entrapta apart enough to know what to say to make her join the Horde of her own free will. She wanted to make things, wanted to study and learn.

He makes his displeasure of Shadow Weaver well known. He doesn’t care that she mistreated Catra Oh no, instead it was that she let her feelings over a child cloud her to what that child could do for _Him_. Lord Hordak pulls a little of Shadow Weaver's power away and grants it to Adora.

It’s only a little when looking at what it takes to run the Horde. In actual practice what he asks is enormous. The underlings of the Horde are always upset about something, and now their job was to stop them from starting an uprising.

Simple. 

* * *

 

Adora is a leader. Adora is an open face and has an open heart that is slowly hardening. From seeing death. From doing what needs to be done. That’s what repeats in her mind at night as she holds Catra to her chest with her face pressed in her mane of hair. They were doing what needed to be done. Every day it feels like somehow more of her has died and something else has taken its place yet it’s only her. Her temper is getting worse and she’d started to snap at her troops.

But even still she’s good at what she does, and her raw charisma makes it easier for her. The fact that she loves to fight and will get down in the dirt with her troops is what really makes her popular with her men. Between being smart, cunning and beautiful, every soldier that has worked with her has walked away from it a least a little loyal to her.

Catra isn’t, but that’s only because she doesn’t want to lead.

She doesn’t have the same love for her underlings as Adora does. It’s not that Catra wants them to die, she just isn’t personal with them. When needed she can lead the men in Adora’s absence but when it comes down to it Catra places faith in only her own abilities and Adora’s. Although she seemed to dislike people when it’s needed Catra knows how to get them angry, how to get them sad and how to turn them against the people they have known their entire life.

Needless to say between the two of them the uprising never sees the light of day.

* * *

 

They take Shadow Weaver place by inches. Every few weeks they are given something that should have gone to her, and each time they prove their worth.

Their base of power was building quickly. Entrapta loves her place in the Horde and gives them weapons and armor better than anywhere else, and Catra had to only meet Force Captain Scorpia once for the woman to love her. The loyalty of the soldiers under Adora starts to move from the Horde to their Captian.

One day Shadow Weaver merely is gone and is never seen again. Catra is a little upset about, having wanting to gloat about it to her some more but Adora is uncertain. She had started all this to get back at Shadow Weaver, and now she’s gone. Now, what would she do?

All she feels now is anger, anger over her lost men, anger that she’d killed so many. The only times she feels anything else is when she spares or when she tangled up with Catra in their bed. She has all this anger and it boils out of her. Her men are loyal yes but that loyalty is starting to be laced with fear because her temper is only getting worse.

Catra pushes her along. Pushes her to be better and do better. Tells her who to trust and who to look out for. Who to kill and who can be turned.

She listens.

Her heart darkens more and more.

Before she realizes it, there are no more nightmares, and she doesn’t hear the screams of the villagers as she marches through their home. There is Intel here that they need, but Adora is bored. There weren’t any train soldiers here for her to fight but she continues on.

Before she realizes it she starts taking a dark joy in taking down villages and towns. It’s what she’s good at. What she was made for. Why not take happiness in it?  
\---

Lord Hordak very rarely leaves his lab. He watched from afar as Adora grew in favor and Catra grew in power. He had spies everywhere but by the time he realizes that Catra had pointed Adora at him like a loaded gun, it was too late.

Adora’s path was set.

Etheria’s path was dark.

**Author's Note:**

> I love Evil!Adora so much guys. I have an idea on a fic with her but I don't think I'll be writing it anytime soon, too many other things going on.... Anyway, I wanted to play around a little with how I told this and I kinda like how it turned out? Let me know if you guys liked the style, if so I may do more like this.


End file.
